Sam Returns To The Village!

A few hours later, Sam arrived back at the village with his horse and was met with smiles and cheers at the entrance.

"You returned safely!" Old Man Jim walked towards Sam and gave him a hug, which Sam didn't expect but accepted with a hearty grin.

"It was an eventful dungeon that is for sure!"

"Well, you look completely different! When we heard reports of someone arriving here, we thought you were a stranger!" Ramon looked at Sam who now towered him with a confused gaze, "I do not remember you being this tall!"

"You do look very different Lord, you look um… how should I put it…" Old Man Jim scratched his head and clicked his fingers when he thought of something. "A beast!"

"Beast?" Sam smiled, "A beast wouldn't look as handsome as me right?"

"Yes, yes, forget what I said, Lord! Go and rest, tomorrow I shall update you on the village first thing in the morning!"

Sam nods and walks towards his courtyard while the rest of the villagers go back to work. The system in place is very smooth, but Sam knew that he must evolve it soon before he becomes a town so that nothing slows down.

The next day, Sam wakes up and sees Old Man Jim waiting outside his door with a bow.

"Good morning, want to do the report while walking around the village Lord?"

Sam nods and heads out with both hands in his pocket while listening to Old Man Jim talk about what's new about the village.

"The lumberjacks finally finished flattening new land, so we have more area to build housing or other buildings that you have planned Lord."

"Great, we need to start building a few important buildings like barracks and a forge for the ore we shall collect from the dungeon!"

"Understood, and for the mining outpost you want to build, who shall head that group? We need someone to stay there for a long while to lead and make sure the ores come to us."

Sam nods his head in acknowledgment, "I'm planning to send Ramon for a bit. The dungeon isn't far away, just a few hours out. If he needs to return for something, I trust he can do so easily and vice versa, I can always check to see if things are running smoothly all the time if need be."

Old Man Jim nods and the two continue walking towards the farm which has a few farmers watering the crops at the moment.

"The farm is in good shape, no problems from the workers. They are extremely excited to see this 'potato' seed you have given us and want to eat it, so they are working hard to make sure everything turns out right."

Sam chuckles, "It is a delicious source of food when cooked right, when the crops are harvested the village can all have a feast together with me to try out the potatoes."

Old Man Jim laughs but soon is interrupted by a young man who is running toward the two at full speed.

"Lord! A stranger is now at the entrance of the village asking for your presence!"

Sam raised an eyebrow and told the scout to rest and began heading toward the village fences.

"Good morning, am I speaking to the Village Elder?"

"I am the leader of this village, who might you be?"

"Ah, yes apologies. I am Kale the Merchant, I heard from Sylvie that you are looking to trade with me in the future and put me in contact with you!"

Sam smiled, Sylvie came through with her promise on short notice.

"Yes, we have some crops that are unique to the land being nearly ready to harvest in the coming months and I am looking to sell the excess that comes from it. Although I have nothing on hand, I am willing to start being in contact with you first so that you know when to come and inspect my goods and begin trade."

Kale didn't look upset but rather gleamed at the aspect of having a unique crop.

"Uniqueness is extremely beneficial for us businessmen, what is this crop you are making?"

"A food crop called a 'potato' which is native to my land. I know the kingdom has none, so I expect you to gain great profit from working with me to sell my crops."

Kale nods and takes out a pad and pen and began writing down the word potato and Sam next to each other.

"You say in the coming months you shall have the crops ready? Good. I shall return here in 3 months' time, if this crop is as good as you advertise it to be, then we shall have a long-term deal friend."

Sam nods and turns around before he hears a clap behind him.

"Ah! I forgot! The city lord in Thorn's Rest is asking for you! He heard a brave leader took down Mankirk and is in need of his help! Sam is your name correct?"

"Yes, that is my name" Sam turned around and crossed his arms.

"Do not fret, the city lord is a nice man. Or I think he is, we businessmen are terrible at judging morality since we just care for coin you know?" Kale gave a greedy smile.

"You know the problem he is dealing with?" Sam asked.

"Probably the refugee crisis he is dealing with since Mankirk and his crew took out a bunch of villages around him, the villagers have nowhere to go and set up shop outside the city gates. Ask him for more information, he just wants me to tell you to meet him in the city when you are free!"

Sam nods and soon hears a DING! The noise inside his head.

[[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: You have gained the quest "City Lord's Troubles!" Complete the City Lord's quest and gain the reward: "Iron Weapons bundle"!]]

"Well, that is it for me! I shall return in 3 months, remember that!" Kale turned around and headed back to his carriage and drove back into the forest and out of the village's sight.

'Iron Weapons bundle? How many weapons are in the bundle?'

[[DING! Enough to fit a small militia]]

Sam nods his head and turned around to see Old Man Jim raise his hand, asking for Sam's permission to speak.

"You don't need to do that, Old Man. What do you want to say?"

"Lord, are you going to Thorn's Rest soon?"

"That's the plan"

Old Man Jim sighs before nodding his head in acknowledgment.

"You leaving a lot isn't good for us, since we need you here and safe to lead us. But if this is important, we trust your judgment, Lord!"

Sam gave an apologetic stare and patted Old Man Jim on the shoulder.

"Everything I do is for the future. Soon, you'll beg me to leave the village because I am there all the time. For now, we must build for the future."

Sam turned around and Old Man Jim jolted up and rushed to walk side by side with Sam, continuing with the report.

**

Meanwhile, on Earth.

"Lia, I heard that bastard is teaming with the Daniels family to ruin all our private businesses. What do you want to do?"

Lia Landon, Sam's Mother, is currently in her office reading the reports given to her by her secretaries while her brother is standing beside her with an angry expression on his face.

"They won't do jackshit. I got some friends investigating the Daniels family for all that sketchy activity they did that went out of the radar. No one cared for them because they were linked to the Yong family, but now they are enemies of mine, and I ain't afraid of no Yong family bastard… except my son" Lia went on a big rant before quieting down on the last sentence.

"Does Sam want to go back to his father?" Her brother questioned, to which Lia shook her head and smiled sweetly.

"That brat has changed, I think the stint of him being homeless in the ghetto and this new mysterious job has made him grow up faster than I expected."

"Any clue on this job?"

"None, it is almost like Sam goes off the radar when he goes to work. It must be something extremely secret that even our family can't find clues. I just hope he is okay." She sighs and begins filing her notes into a pile and placing it in a cupboard behind her.

"Speaking of this investigation into the Daniels family, how are you going to reveal that you have their dirty laundry?"

"Send it to that witch Evelyn. That green tea bitch needs a good scare, I hope she panics when she sees it."

..

A few days later, in the Daniels Family home.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Evelyn who was on her laptop threw it to the ground in shock.

She just got an email detailing everything about her family, including all her father's illegal dealings with the mob and even some of his affairs. It even shows pictures of Evelyn and Joseph in more intimate moments.

The bottom of the email was but a single sentence, "You ruined my son's life, let me ruin yours first."

She now confirmed that the Landon family knows about everything, and she is even more scared than ever. If anything from the email ever reaches the public, not only would her father be in jail, but her own reputation would forever be stained, even more so as a female in this dark world.

Evelyn grabbed her phone and dialed Joseph's number, and although it took a few tries he finally picked up the phone.

"What! I'm busy!"

"We need to meet now, it is important."

"Can't it wait, I am in the middle of so-"

"No it can't, please Joseph!"

A sigh could be heard from the other side of the phone.

"Okay, meet me at my home."

The phone hangs up, and Evelyn dashed out of her house and headed to Joseph's home as fast as she could.

Soon, she arrived and knocked on the door only to be met with a sexy lady walking out with a smile and blush on her face.

"Who's she?!" Evelyn's first words to Joseph were out of anger, to which Joseph didn't reply.

"What is this about?"

"Tell me, who is that bitch and why are you with her?!"

"Do not worry, she's just my secretary. Now, what is this about, you are testing my patience."

Evelyn felt angry but soon calmed down.

"Landon family knows everything about us and has dirt on my dad which could land him in big trouble. What can we do?"

"Big trouble as in…?"

"Jail."

"Oh." Joseph clicked his tongue and grabbed a mug and began making coffee.

"So?"

"Let him go to jail, we both won't be affected by it."

"What do you mean not affected by it? My family's reputation would be ruined!"

"No, if you make the call first and sell out your father, you would be seen as the righteous queen of the family and would lead it to greatness alongside me!"

Evelyn looked baffled, "What are you talking about? How could I do that to my father!"

"It's either that or you just let it play out and continue on with your life."

"They even have proof of us both being together!"

"Let that slide as well, it's not like we are going to hide it much longer. Soon, you'll be my lawful wife and everyone will be jealous of us."

Evelyn went silent and stared at the nonchalant Joseph, and sighed in the end.

"Is selling out my father the best-case scenario?"

"Yes, it is. You need to be head of the family for our plan to be fruitful in the future."

"…"

"I'll do it!"

Evelyn turned around and began heading to the exit, but is soon grabbed by Joseph who looked at her with greedy eyes.

"Where do you think you are going princess, not going to stay with me for a little bit?"

"Um…"

Evelyn would usually agree, but after seeing the 'secretary' leave Joseph's house, she didn't want to do anything with him for a bit, she thought of it as punishment.

Joseph who saw Evelyn didn't want to do anything soon looked at her with disgust and threw her to the door.

"Leave then, why are you still here."

He turned around and grabbed his phone and began calling numbers.

Evelyn who felt pain in her arm walked out and soon cried on the floor outside.

CLICK!

Without her knowing, a picture was taken of her on the floor crying.

She stood up, wiped her eyes and rushed back to her home so that she can think if this is the right thing to do.

'Calling the cops on my father… ruining his life… for the sake of the family do I have to do this?'